As the bishops gathered in Baltimore last week, there were many different thoughts and emotions amid the seriousness of this last year’s events in the Church in the United States and globally. The most consistent sentiment was a deep, firm resolve to move forward to hold bishops and priests decidedly accountable for instances of sexual abuse of children or other vulnerable persons, sexual misconduct, or the mishandling of such cases. The four action items, which all passed by overwhelming majorities, expressed this resolve:

The U.S. bishops overwhelmingly approved a measure that would enable bishops to apply restrictions in the life and ministry of retired bishops accused of sexual abuse or who failed to take necessary measures to prevent abuse.

During discussion at their Baltimore assembly on the U.S. bishops’ new pastoral letter, “The Enduring Call to Love: A Pastoral Letter Against Racism,” Bishop Robert J. Baker of Birmingham, Alabama, said the document’s message was needed, as the civil rights movement “began 60 years ago and we’re still working on achieving the goals in this document.”

U.S. bishops admitted during a wide-ranging discussion during their fall general assembly that parishioners are angry and continually ask how a charismatic clergyman was able to rise through church ranks despite widespread knowledge of allegations that he sexually abused seminarians and boys.

During the second day of their annual fall assembly in Baltimore, the U.S. bishops discussed, even though they weren’t voting on, procedures they could use to restrict bishops removed from their position or reassigned due to sexual abuse allegations or “grave negligence in office.”

As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opened a Day of Prayer at the Fall Bishops General Assembly Nov. 12, John McKeon was the first to walk a path along Aliceanna Street outside the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, just after 9 a.m.

Dressed in penitential purple vestments, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, led the bishops of the United States in a Mass Nov. 12 to open their fall general assembly in Baltimore.

At the urging of the Vatican, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will not vote on two proposals they were to discuss at their Baltimore meeting regarding their response to the clergy sex abuse crisis.